Where to Eat in Seville, Andalusia, Spain

on July 27, 2015

Plaza de España Seville

Favourite Foodie Finds in Seville, Spain

The beautiful town of Seville is the perfect starting point for an exploration of Andalusia, Spain. Remarkable architecture, numerous parks, delicious dining options and wonderfully friendly people all make it a charming tourist destination. Along with tourists however, come tourist traps. With a little help of our local amigos, The Yum List shares with you a few places that you might not step into on your own, but which we think are well worth a visit.

This quaint tapas bar is squeezed in between a plethora of fancy (and just as fancily priced) restaurants catering to tourists near the cathedral. This bar however is more of a local’s hangout: you’ll find an older crowd here during the late afternoon, and the young ones at the bar until early hours of the morning. The draw card: local (not tourist) prices, home cooked cuisine, and friendly down-to-earth owners. Must tries are the salmorejo (similar to gazpacho but slightly thicker and generally served with serrano ham or diced hard-boiled eggs on top), paella, and carne con tomate (a rich tomato based beef stew).

Okay, so this one is on the travel websites, but for good reason! It’s reportedly the oldest tapas bar in all of Europe. A 15 minute stroll out of the town centre through some narrow cobble-stoned streets led us to one of the most enriching experiences we had in Seville. Met with a room packed full of locals curious as to why I was snapping so many photos, we learned with much shared enthusiasm why this bar has stood the test of a very long time. Must order the Espinacas con Garbanzos (spinach and chickpeas).

This out of the way bar was recommended to us by some foodie friends who lived and worked in Seville for six months. Despite hubby’s quibbles about the walk (it was hot, our last day, and I was on a mission so the pace was not at his usually leisurely amble), putting up with his gripes on the way was well worth it as this jewel in the backstreets was one delicious find (and hubby soon changed his humour when presented with a cold beer and luscious small plates of Spanish goodness). Tapas are priced a good deal less than that of the historical centre, and the quality is supreme. Go early to get a seat, as by 9pm the locals have taken over and you will be elbowing for a stool at the bar.

Situated on the main street just up from Plaza de Toros and near the bridge that crosses to the restaurant strip of Barrio Triana, Mercado Lonja de Barranco is a light, bright and cheery change to the dimly lit wooden tapas bars around the city. This gourmet food court is oft frequented by stylishly dressed locals looking for a social bite after work. With over 20 food and beverage stands to choose from, it’s a fantastic place to explore the city’s cuisine. It’s also one of the few places in the city where you can sample Cruzcampo Radler, a refreshing lemony twist on the nations’ beer, on tap.

For those looking for a healthy change from tapas and the excessive calories that come with them, the cafe in this fashionable clothes store sells a variety of salads, sandwiches and gluten-free desserts. We tried the Mediterranean Pasta Salad and the Quinoa Salad and found them both to be fresh, tasty and reasonably priced. The staff here too are very amiable and clearly passionate about what they do.

Eme Catedral Hotel houses one of the most chic places to enjoy a beverage in the area. Perched on the fourth floor of the boutique hotel it offers stunning views of the top of the cathedral. In the afternoons, if you can bare the summer heat, you’ll find you have the bar to yourself. In the cooler part of the evening though make sure to have a reservation to partake in the spectacular of the cathedral lit up at night. Be warned though, drinks are triple the price of what you’ll pay at nearby outlets on the ground level – consider the extra a small viewing fee for a little taste of exclusivity.

1 Panoramic Bar “La Terraza de EME” – night view

The Cathedral from Ground Level

Mercado de la Encarnación

Encased in glass walls, this light bright market showcases beautiful produce in a friendly atmosphere. At times I’m a little camera shy when it comes to taking photos in such places as I’ve been met with more looks of annoyance than I care to count. Here though, the vendors were all curious, talkative and very hospitable. We stocked up on: gorgeous summer fruits including the sweetest cherries I’ve ever tasted, nectarines and peaches; delicious cheeses such as my favourite Manchego; some cured meats sliced fresh off the leg; and a little cream-filled snack from the bakery for hubby.

15 Comments

Monica and Co. in sunny Seville – the dukedom of classical Spain.Your coverage of the sights, smells, sounds of Spain must beputting smiles on the faces of the hospitality and retail interestsin Spain.I am sure that if Don Francisco de Bourbon y Escasany, the presentDuke of Serville and the city fathers of this southern region of Spainread your excellent reports – WORD BY WORD and PHOTO BYPHOTO – you and T.O.H. may be well rewarded.Just think, the two of you presented with two fine Andalusian steedsand the city keys! ( You won't forget your friends, will you????)My two sisters are off to Seville and all this area, now being exposed in such fine style by you, in October.Flying straight via Dubai to Barcelona and then all over thisarea for 3 weeks before the express to Paris from Madrid.Both have done this area before – 20/25 years ago with theirhusbands and are now reading these Spanish reports.I can assure you that they are enjoying your effortsand keep me in line!!!!!!

I bet the smells in that market place are incredible.I wonder what 500 grams of that cured ham on the bonewould cost here in Australia???? Any idea???

Now if that were to happen, I'd take the keys and would very graciously offer you the steeds for placing the suggestion in their heads. I hope your sisters can use this guide. We really did a lot of work in narrowing down which places to visit in a short amount of time. Chef friends, family living in the area and expat friends who have lived for extended periods in the city all helped us to create this list.October should be a pleasant period to visit – after the hot sweltering summer – it was 45 degrees on the day we left!We did visit the plaza – hubby found this of particular excitement with his Spanish roots – olé! Everything is within walking distance and lots to see on the way. By foot really is the best way to explore the city, although there are some charming horse and carriages that can be used too.

Yes by foot is best to explore and thankfully Spanish cities are good for this,and that includes Madrid – just get buses between interesting sections.Oh I don't think they will get lost – both have been before and love the country.I don't know if you noticed but then with a Spanish other half you'd have an advantage,if lost the Spanish police are without doubt the most helpful I've ever encountered with directions and my experience was in the Franco era!!!I was really amazed at this assistance everywhere I visited – a map and if confused,spot a policeman and hey presto – all sorted out.The worst country for assistance was the great USA!!!!! Zilch. ( maybe they wanteda tip in advance???)Colin El Cordobes.PS: I'll say some prayers tonight hoping that Don Francisco etc and the powers to beread your report – Andalusians !! I'm sure I'll find somewhere to stable and graze them!